Fanning the Flames

6

Shalour City was not quite as big as either Serena or Alex had been led to believe, but that only served to make the large tower in the distance even more imposing.

"That must be the Tower of Mastery. Do you think we should go there first?" Serena asked, Alex squinting at the horizon as it began to darken into oranges and pinks and reds.

"The sun is starting to set. We shouldn't be out after dark, I'm not the only one from Team Flare who lurks in the night. The Pokémon Center is nearby, so we should go there and lay low for the night." He said, though could see from the corner of his eye Serena's pleading face.

"But the sooner I battle Korrina, the sooner we get our answers! Come on, please?" She begged, Alex taking a deep breath before groaning.

"Tch, fine. Let's go."

Serena smiled deviously as she raced off towards the Tower of Mastery, Alex sighing before chasing after her. He was wearing lighter clothes than before with a blue button up shirt and black pants that cut off just below the knee, though he insisted on wearing his black dress shoes still. However, he still didn't want to chase after this girl he had just met because she didn't have patience and he couldn't say no to her. But he had little choice, so he did.

The two finally made it to the Tower and were promptly greeted by Korrina and her two Lucario as well as a strange old man.

"Serena! You finally made it! Welcome to the Tower of Mastery, as well as the Shalour City Gym." Korrina said eagerly, staring at Alex with wonder, though he felt as if the old man was staring into his soul, even from so far away. Korrina skated up to him and held out her hand to him.

"Sorry, I don't think we properly met in Geosenge Town. My name is Korrina, what's yours?" She asked, Alex freezing before glancing at Serena nervously. She gave him a small smile of encouragement, which gave him the confidence he needed to shake her hand and return her friendly smile.

"My name is Alex. I've heard many stories about the Tower of Mastery, but I didn't know the Shalour City Gym was located inside it." He said in barely concealed awe, though Korrina nervously laughed at his compliment.

"Haha, it normally isn't here. Grandfather says this place is too sacred for Gym Battles, but-"

"The current Shalour Gym is closed for repairs as mandated by the Pokémon League." A voice shouted over the group, everyone turning to see the old man had left from where he was waiting to come stand directly in front of Alex. His face was full of disdain as he looked him in the eye.

"My granddaughter will be carrying out all of her duties as a Gym Leader here until the Gym has reopened. You seem to have a keen eye for Mega Evolution, boy, as based on that ring on your finger. So what exactly do you seek from the Tower of Mastery if you have already gone through trials necessary to gain a Key Stone and a Charizardite X?"

The old man did not care for him, that much Alex could tell. What he didn't know was why, but Korrina knew. Both her and her grandfather had a close bond with each of their Lucario, and their partners were well known for their ability to sense auras around others. Through the power of their bonds, some of their ability is passed to their Trainers in turn if they are very close.

The darkness in Alex's aura wasn't intense, it was rather shallow and weak, but it was widespread. There was only a glimpse of hope in him, but both Korrina and her grandfather could sense all of the horrible things he had done, and the only one who would've done so much evil in a short amount of time would be a member of Team Flare. They weren't certain why he was with Serena, someone with a blazingly pure aura that gave Korrina's Lucario a migraine after first witnessing it. But it couldn't be for a good reason.